A Prima Donna on PC: Creative Labs Audigy 2

Features
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Audigy 2 And Audigy 2 Platinum

As usual, Creative Labs' Audigy 2 sound cards come in three versions:

Audigy 2:

The Audigy 2 is the basic offer. At $129, this card has the following connections:

  • Mini-jack stereo analog outputs: front and surround;
  • Mini-jack three-speaker analog outputs: center, subwoofer and center surround;
  • 5.1-compatible S/ PDIF mini-jack output;
  • Line-in;
  • Microphone-in;
  • SB1394 port;
  • Internal Tad-in input;
  • Internal CD-in input;
  • 15-pin MIDI/ game port on internal bracket;
  • SB1394/ FireWire connector;
  • AD-EXT connector for extra internal rack.

The software package includes the following features:

  • Creative Media Source;
  • Audio Stream Recorder 2;
  • Creative Diagnostic;
  • Mini Disc Center;
  • Creative Wave Studio;
  • Speaker Calibrator;
  • SoundFont Bank Manager;
  • Surround Sound Mixer;
  • Speaker Settings;
  • Soldier Of Fortune II: Double Helix;
  • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

Audigy 2 Platinum:

The Audigy 2 Platinum will cost $199. It has the Audigy 2 card and an internal 5.25" input/output rack to add the following connections:

  • Second SB1394 port;
  • Headphone output with volume control;
  • Optical and coaxial S/ PDIF outputs;
  • Optical and coaxial S/ PDIF inputs;
  • RCA x2 analog input;
  • Two-jack Microphone/ Line-in 2 input with gain control;
  • MIDI-in and MIDI-out;
  • Infrared port for IR remote control.

The software package is the same as for the Audigy 2, plus the following programs:

  • Steinberg Cubasis VST;
  • Native Instrument Traktor DJ;
  • Ulead 5.0.

The internal 5.25" rack is connected via a ribbon cable (similar to an IDE cable) and another round cable for connecting the SB1394 port on the outside.

Audigy 2 Platinum eX:

The Audigy 2 Platinum eX uses the same system as the Audigy Platinum eX, meaning a card and an external rack, but it has some extra technical features that will interest music-makers, especially the fact that it alone supports the ASIO 2.0 standard, and so it can handle recording and processing in 24 bits/ 96 kHz with Cubase VST. The basic Audigy 2 and Platinum only have ASIO 1, so they are limited to 16 bits/ 48 kHz in this respect. What's more, the external rack has been completely redesigned and will look like the Extigy.

The Audigy 2 Platinum eX is due for release early in 2003.

Philippe Ramelet